This past Saturday was the culmination of our class this semester. We have talked about community participation, planning, and designs and needed to put that information into practice when we went to Williston. I felt more informed about and invested in the town because we had handed out surveys and spent real time walking around, experiencing the place and meeting the people.
We arrived without any trouble, this time. (On our last visit, we got a little lost, but this time was better.) It was raining, which did not bode well for the charette. We set-up pretty quickly and were ready for citizens, but we never got a large turn-out. There were enough people for two groups of citizens, which meant about eight to ten people. We had discussed the exercises with Harry, so when he introduced them, we felt prepared. We brought poker chips, so that we had visual aids for the “rankings” that we assigned to the internal and external factors for the future of Williston. The table that Thomas, Aaron and I were mediating was great. There were three men, and they were really cooperative and enthusiastic. They were the type of group that you hope to have in a session like the Saturday charette.
They provided us and Harry with information about Williston, which he will be able to use to provide planning ideas for Williston. However, the most productive aspect could have been that the men exchanged business cards and talking to each other about the things that they can work together or agree on for the town’s future. Overall, the residents were really positive and committed to Williston.
Harry talked about having a follow-up charette, since the turn-out was a little low. The people were great, and I’d be glad to go back.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Williston, SC - Surveys
A few weeks ago, our class time was partially devoted to discussing survey information that Harry needed to gather for the town of Williston. We didn't quite realize it at the time, but we were going to be the ones walking through town and hading out surveys. The questions are focused on finding out the positives and negatives of the place, as seen by the residents. After chatting with Harry about the basic idea, we set-up a day to meet him there and proceed.
With no set classes on Friday, it was good for the four of us in second year of graduate architecture. We picked a beautiful day to be outside and also a pretty good day to catch residents at home, as it happened. Since Harry is very organized, he had maps for each of us that showed our areas and had the number of surveys that we need to collect figured out. He gave us some tips on what to say and what to do and what not to do.
Each of us had an area with a particular character. My area included residential areas that were very close to downtown and some closer to the schools. Many of the people I spoke with were retied, but there were some younger residents that I met. The neighborhoods that I visited were well-kept and the residents were welcoming. There were some who were unwilling to fill out the surveys, but were generally pretty nice about telling me no. One lady inquired as to whether I was comfortable going door to door to visit people that I didn't know. I told her that it isn't something that I do very often, but that I believe in the process of community involvement and that that process can help rural communities is South Carolina, which I really care about. Also, I think that Harry works really hard and is really motivated, and with a little help, he can get a lot accomplished.
Additionally, I think that it was a good way for me to learn about information gathering and how that informs later stages of a community design or planning process. In other projects we've come in later in the game and missed some of the initial phases, but with Williston, we'll see the process from the start through the community workshop phase, which will happen in late April. I'll have to admit that I was initially skeptical about how much I could learn from handing out surveys, but I think I gained a lot. First, I understand Williston better because I met some of the residents and spent time walking around. Also, I have a better understanding of a portion of Harry's job and how valuable the initial information is for generating ideas and developing a direction.
With no set classes on Friday, it was good for the four of us in second year of graduate architecture. We picked a beautiful day to be outside and also a pretty good day to catch residents at home, as it happened. Since Harry is very organized, he had maps for each of us that showed our areas and had the number of surveys that we need to collect figured out. He gave us some tips on what to say and what to do and what not to do.
Each of us had an area with a particular character. My area included residential areas that were very close to downtown and some closer to the schools. Many of the people I spoke with were retied, but there were some younger residents that I met. The neighborhoods that I visited were well-kept and the residents were welcoming. There were some who were unwilling to fill out the surveys, but were generally pretty nice about telling me no. One lady inquired as to whether I was comfortable going door to door to visit people that I didn't know. I told her that it isn't something that I do very often, but that I believe in the process of community involvement and that that process can help rural communities is South Carolina, which I really care about. Also, I think that Harry works really hard and is really motivated, and with a little help, he can get a lot accomplished.
Additionally, I think that it was a good way for me to learn about information gathering and how that informs later stages of a community design or planning process. In other projects we've come in later in the game and missed some of the initial phases, but with Williston, we'll see the process from the start through the community workshop phase, which will happen in late April. I'll have to admit that I was initially skeptical about how much I could learn from handing out surveys, but I think I gained a lot. First, I understand Williston better because I met some of the residents and spent time walking around. Also, I have a better understanding of a portion of Harry's job and how valuable the initial information is for generating ideas and developing a direction.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Olanta Charrette II
Design week was hectic with the travel to Olanta and the long hours for the charrette. We put in about a 12 hour day, when it was all said and done. A one day charrette is really difficult to do, as Bill, our charrette leader, told us before we started. Of course, the main issue is time. We spent much of the morning collecting information through interviews with citizens and through a walking tour. That process is necessary, in order to understand the town and begin to form clear ideas and goals for the design and recommendations. The problem comes when there is little time remaining for actual production of those ideas. Again, it is mainly a time issue, which results from only a one day charrette. We were well organized and everyone was willing to talk with the citizens and produce images and information for the presentation, but there was just very little time.
While I felt like our ideas were good and the information could be beneficial to Olanta, I was disappointed in the number of people that attended to listen to those ideas. If more people hear the recommendations, then there are more people willing and available to act on them. In a lot of small towns, a large component of these charrettes is to deliver information that will prompt people to become involved in the right ways. The low turn out gave us the impression that the majority of the town is apathetic regarding the state of the town and a drive to improve the existing conditions.
An important point that Bill got across in the final presentation was the realization that Olanta does not need large chain stores that don't contribute to its unique identity. Rather they should look to the current citizens who may start their own businesses, which will keep the profits local. There seemed to be more and more people that believed that idea as the day went on, at least I hope there were.
I continue to be concerned about the library that is planned for Olanta. The location is going to be more of a suburban model that will place it on a larger highway, as opposed to downtown. The location will remain close to the school, which is positive; however, it will focus more attention on what could be characterized as strip development. Apparently the owner of the land that would have been the best location downtown increased the price of the plot when talk of the library began. Its hard for me to believe that someone would do that to a small town that needs assistance and could use the library as a catalyst for future development. I also feel that the entity purchasing the land could offer to pay more for the optimum site.
While I felt like our ideas were good and the information could be beneficial to Olanta, I was disappointed in the number of people that attended to listen to those ideas. If more people hear the recommendations, then there are more people willing and available to act on them. In a lot of small towns, a large component of these charrettes is to deliver information that will prompt people to become involved in the right ways. The low turn out gave us the impression that the majority of the town is apathetic regarding the state of the town and a drive to improve the existing conditions.
An important point that Bill got across in the final presentation was the realization that Olanta does not need large chain stores that don't contribute to its unique identity. Rather they should look to the current citizens who may start their own businesses, which will keep the profits local. There seemed to be more and more people that believed that idea as the day went on, at least I hope there were.
I continue to be concerned about the library that is planned for Olanta. The location is going to be more of a suburban model that will place it on a larger highway, as opposed to downtown. The location will remain close to the school, which is positive; however, it will focus more attention on what could be characterized as strip development. Apparently the owner of the land that would have been the best location downtown increased the price of the plot when talk of the library began. Its hard for me to believe that someone would do that to a small town that needs assistance and could use the library as a catalyst for future development. I also feel that the entity purchasing the land could offer to pay more for the optimum site.
Also, I feel that Olanta needs to capitalize on their location near Wood's Bay (a Carolina Bay) and the rural character of the surrounding area. As we discussed at the charrette, they probably need both local and regional approaches to their issues.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Olanta Charrette
This week will be design week for the Mayor's Institute, which is another component of our class. This portion began last semester with the planning process for the five towns selected here in South Carolina. We compiled information to be presented at a colloquium, to start generating ideas and getting the towns prepared for deign week. The colloquium was a chance for the leadership from each towns to hear the opinions of a variety of professionals, on their situations, as well as input for the other towns. Several members of each community's team were also at the colloquium to here the initial concepts and have a chance to further develop those this week.
I'm on the team for Olanta, SC, which is in lower Florence County and is very close to my home. I feel especially invested in the area because I'm familiar with the Pee Dee region and want to see the area thrive. During the class this semester, we've talked about the rural areas of South Carolina and how specific and important their character is. As we watched "Corridor of Shame," we discussed that if the education system is not strengthened, it could mean that the areas are weakened and that the cultures have less of a chance of surviving. With the community planning involved with the Mayor's Institute, we try to address many issues, including education, as well as economics, marketing, and design. It will be a combination of many components that result in a sound community plan. Realistically, a comprehensive plan will not be reached in a day long charrette, but as with Denmark, it's important to give Olanta a starting point, so that they can visualize what's possible and begin to generate strategies to move forward.
The component of our "Design Day" that I think will be most beneficial to Olanta is the portion of the day that will be a collaboration with Johnsonville, which is a neighboring community that has been through the Mayor's Institute. I think the Olanta leadership will benefit most from having neighbors that can offer suggestions and help them prepare for the process that they'll need to go through to reach real solutions.
Denmark Docs II
The process of preliminary planning for Denmark has been an educational and interesting one. I've found most community planning projects positive and enjoyed the ideas and hope that they've generated. With this project in particular, I wish that we had more time to put towards the process. I think that the ideas that we generated and the graphics that we designed to communicate those ideas are good. I just think that we have had other ideas that could be applicable, only we haven't had time to do the research necessary to test those ideas and make sure that they're sound. I don't mean to blame the issue of time on anyone. It's just the way that the schedules have worked out. It's just hard to stop the planning process when we know there's a lot more to do, but it's also not realistic for us to complete a master plan in a semester. I do think that the graphics will act as catalysts for more ideas and more involvement, so that a more comprehensive plan can be generated, hopefully very soon.
Denmark Docs
Over the last couple of weeks we've been focused on the first of our two main projects for the semester, which has been Denmark, SC. Our visit was very informative, as we were able to walk through town and experience the downtown at a scale that helped us understand what the issues are and what some solutions may be for encouraging more activity in the core of the town.
Having gathered the information, it was time to put it to use. We had information from the citizens from the charrette in December, big ideas that had been generated in response to the community input, and more specific locations and implementations for those big ideas. So the challenge became organizing that information, so it would tell a story that the town could use to spur future ideas and development, and eventually lead to a much more comprehensive master plan.
Some of the main focuses were the issues of safety and connections and how we could address those through preliminary design ideas. We pointed out locations that would be prime for multiple groups to gather and share space and locations that could be made safer with added lighting and a presence of activities and people ("eyes on the street") could create better places. Also, we wanted to provide the community with the information that they gave to us in a form that can be compiled and reused for future planning initiatives.
Having gathered the information, it was time to put it to use. We had information from the citizens from the charrette in December, big ideas that had been generated in response to the community input, and more specific locations and implementations for those big ideas. So the challenge became organizing that information, so it would tell a story that the town could use to spur future ideas and development, and eventually lead to a much more comprehensive master plan.
Some of the main focuses were the issues of safety and connections and how we could address those through preliminary design ideas. We pointed out locations that would be prime for multiple groups to gather and share space and locations that could be made safer with added lighting and a presence of activities and people ("eyes on the street") could create better places. Also, we wanted to provide the community with the information that they gave to us in a form that can be compiled and reused for future planning initiatives.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Denmark, SC
Our trip to Denmark, on Friday, was a positive one. I was. honestly, more optimistic about the possibilities for the future of Denmark, following our trip. I had heard a lot of statistics about the crime and unemployment in the town and the area, but there also seemed to be opportunities in the dowtown area and citizens who were willing to participate.
We tried to, first, take in as much as we could through a walking tour, questions for Harry, and photos and observations. Through last semester and this one, I understand more and more that the best way to develop a personal understanding of a community is to visit it and come up with your own opinions about the place. This, of course, does not take the place of the participation and opinions of residents, but it is important to have your own base information.
We also tried to come up with a series of goals and specific areas to focus on, which will be further focussed in class on Monday. It will be important to formulate our goals, so that we have something to work towards and so that we deliver information that will compliment the work that has already been done.
We tried to, first, take in as much as we could through a walking tour, questions for Harry, and photos and observations. Through last semester and this one, I understand more and more that the best way to develop a personal understanding of a community is to visit it and come up with your own opinions about the place. This, of course, does not take the place of the participation and opinions of residents, but it is important to have your own base information.
We also tried to come up with a series of goals and specific areas to focus on, which will be further focussed in class on Monday. It will be important to formulate our goals, so that we have something to work towards and so that we deliver information that will compliment the work that has already been done.
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